Jimi Hendrix Encyclopedia

Did you see Jimi Hendrix in concert? Did you meet Jimi Hendrix or have the opportunity to interview him or have some other unique, first-person encounter with Jimi Hendrix? If so, Experience Hendrix wants to hear from you.

The new Jimi Hendrix film, “Experience” (aka “See My Music Talking”) by Peter Neal is shown at London’s National Film Theatre as part of a British festival of short films. The film includes a 12-string guitar solo of Hendrix performing “Hear My Train A Comin’.”

A second showing of “Experience” is made at 6:15 p.m. at London’s National Film Theatre. Supported by Soft Machine and Eire Apparent, the Experience perform two shows at the Mosque in Richmond, Virginia. Among the song performed were “I Don’t Live Today” and “Red House.” Jan Bridge interviews Jimi Hendrix for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The highly anticipated third release by The Jimi Hendrix Experience titled, Electric Ladyland is released in the United States, (Reprise, 2RS 6307). Although Hendrix had originally submitted his own artwork for the cover, which featured a photograph by Linda McCartney with The Experience and some young kids sitting on the Alice In Wonderland statue in New York’s Central Park. In the end, only his designs of the inside of the cover were used. This landmark two-album collection featured: “…And The Gods Made Love,” “Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland),” “Crosstown Traffic,” “Voodoo Chile,” “Little Miss Strange,” “Long Hot Summer Night,” “Come On (Part One),” “Gypsy Eyes,” “The Burning Of The Midnight Lamp,” “Rainy Day, Dream Away,” “1983…(A Merman I Should Turn To Be),” “Moon, Turn The Tides…Gently, Gently Away,” ” Still Raining, Still Dreaming,” “House Burning Down,” ” All Along The Watchtower,” Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” Hendrix rents a house at 2850 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills, California where a birthday party for Eric Barrett is held.

Album Release Sunrise by Eire Apparent is released in England. The album was produced by Jimi and features the guitarist making guest appearances on several tracks including, “Rock ‘N’ Roll Band,” “Yes I Need Someone,” “The Clown,” “Captive In The Sun,” and “Mr. Guy Fawkes”.

Album Release The new album The Street Giveth… And The Street Taketh Away by Cat Mother & The All Night Newsboys is released in the United Kingdom. The album produced by Jimi Hendrix and spawns the hit US single “Good Old Rock n’ Roll”. Wally Heider Recording, Los Angeles, Ca. Studio 3, Mixing Eddie Kramer resumed mixing recent live recordings of the Experience for a possible live album.

Album Release Smash Hits Reprise Records, Jimi’s US distributor, issues the popular compilation Smash Hits. Jimi enjoys a vacation to Mogador, Morocco. His travel begins on July 30 and extends through August 6.

Track Records in the United Kingdom release The Experience’s latest single, “Fire” b/w “The Burning Of The Midnight Lamp” (Track Records, 604 033). Although intended as a re-entry into the singles market by carrying the title along the coattails of success found in Are You Experienced, the latest offering sparked little public interest. In West Germany, Polydor releases an eastern counterpart of the same pairing (Polydor, 59375).

Buddy Miles and Juma Sultan join Hendrix at the Record Plant where two recordings of “Blue Suede Shoes” were put to tape. Later, Hendrix sung live, giving a beautiful flamenco-styled flavor to “Hey Baby (Land Of The New Rising Sun).” Afterwards Hendrix breaks into a jam playing “Summertime Blues” which is then followed by “Day Tripper.”

On the heels of Hendrix delivering the completed Band Of Gypsys release to Capitol Records on February 25, 1970, the label quickly jumped into the mastering stage for the record, ensuring its speedy delivery to store shelves.

Capitol Records released the eagerly anticipated live album, Band Of Gypsys. The album featured six tracks from the two Fillmore East performances on January 1, 1970. “Who Knows” and “Machine Gun,” were recorded during the evening’s first while all of the album’s second side was drawn from the second show. Despite the dramatic shift in sound and style—especially when compared with Electric Ladyland–Band Of Gypsys nonetheless enjoyed wide commercial approval. The album debuted on Billboard’s US Top 200 chart at 18 and climbed to its peak at 5. The album remained on the chart for sixty-one weeks. At the time of Jimi’s death, Band Of Gypsys was Hendrix’s most commercially successful album since Are You Experienced, his 1967 debut.

With Band Of Gypsys riding high in the Billboard US album chart, Reprise Records issued the single “Stepping Stone” coupled with “Izabella”. Apart from “All Along The Watchtower”, Jimi had little success at US Top 40 radio. “Stepping Stone” and “Izabella” proved to be no exception. Moreover, Capitol Records complained that Reprise was trying to distract consumers from Band Of Gypsys. As the delivery of that album had resolved a bitter lawsuit between Hendrix, Capitol, and Reprise, the single quickly faded from view and has since become a prized collector’s item. For those unable to track down an original vinyl copy, both versions can now be heard as part of the Voodoo Child: The Jimi Hendrix Collection issued in May 2001.

Partnering with the Memorial Day Long Weekend release of Woodstock – The Motion Picture, Cotillion Records released the triple-LP set Woodstock (SD350) that featured Hendrix’s live medley of “Star Spangled Banner / Purple Haze / Instrumental Solo.” The collection became an instant classic, entering the Billboard charts at #4 before peaking at the top of the charts, where it sat untouched for a four-week period.

Track Records releases Band Of Gypsys (2406 002) in the UK. Just like its American predecessor, Band Of Gypsys features “Who Knows,” “Machine Gun,” “Changes,” “Power To Love,” “Message To Love,” and “We Gotta Live Together.”